1西底家求耶利米代禱約西亞的兒子西底家代替約雅敬的兒子哥尼雅作王；西底家是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒所立在猶大地作王的。
1Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2西底家和他的臣僕，以及那地的人民，都不聽從耶和華藉耶利米先知所傳的話。
2But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to the words of Yahweh, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3西底家王差派示利米雅的兒子猶甲和瑪西雅祭司的兒子西番雅，去見耶利米先知，說：“請你為我們向耶和華我們的 神禱告。”
3Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now to Yahweh our God for us.
4那時，耶利米還可以在民眾中間自由行動，因為他們還沒有把他關進監獄裡。
4Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison.
5法老的軍隊已經從埃及出來；那些圍困耶路撒冷的迦勒底人聽見了他們的風聲，就從耶路撒冷撤退了。
5Pharaoh’s army had come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem.
6那時，耶和華的話臨到耶利米先知，
6Then came the word of Yahweh to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7“耶和華以色列的 神這樣說：你們要對差派你們來求問我的猶大王這樣說：‘看哪！那出來幫助你們的法老的軍隊，必回到他們的埃及本地去。
7Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8迦勒底人必回來，攻擊這城，佔領這城，放火燒毀這城。’
8The Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire.
9耶和華這樣說：你們不要自己欺騙自己，說：‘迦勒底人必定離開我們！’因為他們必不離開。
9Thus says Yahweh, Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
10即使你們擊敗了那攻打你們的迦勒底全軍，他們中間只剩下一些受重傷的人，他們也必各從自己的帳棚裡起來，放火燒毀這城。’”
10For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
11耶利米被囚禁迦勒底人的軍隊因懼怕法老的軍隊而從耶路撒冷撤退的時候，
11It happened that, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12耶利米離開耶路撒冷，往便雅憫地去，要在那裡，在同鄉中間，取得自己的產業。
12then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
13他到了便雅憫門，那裡有一個守衛的長官，名叫伊利雅，是哈拿尼雅的孫子、示利米雅的兒子；他拿住耶利米先知，說：“你想去投降迦勒底人！”
13When he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, You are falling away to the Chaldeans.
14耶利米說：“這是謊話！我並不是去投降迦勒底人。”但伊利雅不聽他，仍拿住他，把他帶到眾領袖那裡。
14Then Jeremiah said, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15眾領袖都惱怒耶利米，就吩咐人打他，並且把他關進監裡，就是在書記約拿單的房子裡，因為他們已把這房子改作監獄。
15The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16耶利米進了地牢裡的一個囚房，在那裡監禁了多日。
16When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
17後來，西底家王派人去把他帶出來；王在自己的宮中私下問他，說：“從耶和華那裡有話來嗎？”耶利米回答：“有！”又說：“你必交在巴比倫王的手中。”
17Then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Yahweh? Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
18耶利米再對西底家王說：“我有甚麼得罪你，或你的臣僕，或這人民，你竟然把我送進監獄裡呢？
18Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
19你們的先知曾向你們預言說：‘巴比倫王必不會來攻擊你們和這地。’他們現今在哪裡呢？
19Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
20我主我王啊！現在求你垂聽，求你容我向你懇求！不要把我送回書記約拿單的房子去，免得我死在那裡。”
20Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
21於是西底家王下令，把耶利米拘留在衛兵的院子裡；他們每天從餅鋪街拿一個餅給他，直到城裡的餅都吃光了。耶利米就這樣留在衛兵的院子裡。
21Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.